Apparatus for treating wool or other material



May 5, 1936 G. E. PETERSEN 2,039,834

MIPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOL OR OTHER MATERIAL Filed Nov. 2o, 1934 ffgf/f 37 \\\\\\v msn INVENTOR eorge /tfere/z,

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Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOL OR OTHERMATERIAL George E. Petersen, Bristol, Pa., assignor to William H. GrundyCompany, Inc., Bristol, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationNovember 20, 1934, Serial No. 753,816

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating material suchas wool, cotton, silk, etc., and more particularly to the dyeing anddrying of wool tops or other material in mass formation.

As an example of the application of the present invention, the followingdescription will be directed to the treatment of woo-l tops, though thisis not to be taken as limiting the scope of the invention to thisprecise material.

In the preparation of wool tops it has heretoforebeen necessary afterthe dyeing steps to return the tops to the back-washing machine to notonly be subjected to an extra washing but also to be dried. In order topass through this back-washer the sliverV is unwound from the ball sothat it can be fed in strand form through the rinsing bath, then throughthe squeegee rolls,` from which it is conveyed over rotating heatedrolls or on wire aprons moving through a chamber in which heated air iscirculated. In some instances the ball of dyed material is subjected tothe action of an extractor before unwinding it to be fed into theback-washer. This is to remove excess water. Where such extractor isused the action more or less disturbs the fibres of the wool so that thedesired parallel relation thereof is disturbed, resulting in unevennessand roughness. This fibre disarrangement is of minor effect as comparedto the fibre disturbance caused by unwinding the wet sliver on its wayto the backwasher and it is then that the major trouble occurs. When thesliver is unwound the fibres cling to adjacent iibres and give thesliver a rough, uneven and unsightly appearance. In order to restore thesliver it is necessary to subject it to a recombing operation, therebynot only adding to the labor expense but also the loss due to colorednoils.

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide an improvedapparatus for drying material, such as wool tops and the like; toprovide a novel apparatus for drying material in bulk or ball formation;to provide an apparatus for drying card vsliver or wool tops wherein thedyed material can be dried without change of form; to provide anapparatus for drying card sliver or wool tops wherein the fibres of thematerial are not disturbed and thereby eliminating back-washing andrecombing operations; to provide a drying apparatus comprising aplurality of receptacles each of which is independently accessible ofthe others whereby one or all can be filled for drying and while theapparatus is in use any receptacle can be loaded and unloaded withoutdiscontinuing the operation of the apparatus or disturbing the otherreceptacles containing material being dried; to provide a dryingapparatus wherein wool tops and the like can be dried in original form;to provide an apparatus for dyeing and drying wool tops or othermaterial wherein steps of back-washing and recombing are no longernecessary; and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 represents a plan of a dryingapparatus embodying one form of the present invention, certain of thereceptacles being in top filling and removing position and others indrying position; Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; andFig. 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing one form of the present invention consists ofa. plurality of receptacles i!! mounted and arranged to be supplied withheated air under pressure from a manifold II common to all of thereceptacles. The manifold I I receives its supply of heated air from aduct I2 leading to a source of heated medium, such for example as a iintube radiator (not shown) supplied with exhaust steam over which airpasses from a compressor (not shown). Since the receptacle IIJ and themounting therefor are identical, the present description for sake ofbrevity will be confined to one, like parts in all being identiiied bylike reference numerals;

The receptacle I 0 is of such size and shape as to snugly receive awooltop I3 or other formed material which is to be dried. The bottom I5 ofthe receptacle I0 is provided with an opening I6 to permit the passageof air into the receptacle as will be understood. The open mouth of thereceptacle Ill is substantially the same diameter as the body of thereceptacle so that the top I3 can be readily placed therein or removedtherefrom. To facilitate the insertion of the tops I3 into thereceptacle I0 the mouth of the latter is preferably flared outwardly asshown at I'l.

Forthe purpose of retaining the wool tops within the receptacle ID aperforated cover plate I8 is provided and is held in place by aremovable rod 2D arranged to be inserted in two diametrically oppositeholes 2| appropriately located near the mouth of the receptacle I0.

For supporting the receptacle and admitting heated air to the interiorthereof a fitting in the form of a sleeve 22 having a flanged Vbase 23is provided. This base 23 is attached to the receptacle bottom I5 bystuds 24 and has a port 25 fixed in register with the opening I6. Thesleeve 22 receives the closed end portion of a tubular elbow arm 26 sothat the latter forms a horizontally disposed pivot about which thereceptacle I0 can be rotated. Preferably that portion of the arm 26which enters the sleeve 22 is tapered in the direction necessary tocause the sleeve 22 to lit tighter and tighter as it is urged furtherthereon. This adjustment is to prevent leakage around the joint and ishere made by means of a threaded shank 2'I anchored to and projectingfrom the end of the arm Z6 and coaxial therewith. A nut 30 screws on theshank 2'I to abut a collar 3I which seats against the end of the sleeve22 to maintain the latter snugly on the tapered end while permittingfree relative movement of the parts. Preferably the end of the arm 26has a flat side 32 with which a like internal ilat part 33 of the collar3I coacts so that the collar 3| is held against turning movement.

In order to establish communication between the passage 34 of the elbowfitting and the port 25 an outlet 35 is provided in the bottom of thearm 26 and in the plane of movement of the port 25 whereby heated air isadmitted to the receptacle when in an inverted position and is cut offwhen the receptacle is in a reversed or filling position. The elbow 26is provided with a usual flange 36 for connecting it to the manifold bymeans of bolts or studs 31. While the manifold II may be of any suitableform it is here shown of rectangular section and mounted upon supportlegs 33 of angle iron or other construction.

In the operation of the apparatus of the present invention the tops arerespectively in the usual ball form in which they come from thefinishing room ready to be submerged in a, bath of dye liquor for theproper length of time to insure completeimpregnation of the wool by thedye and uniform coloring. When the dyeing is complete the wet Vtops arecarried to the drying apparatus and each placed in one of thereceptacles of the apparatus above described. This operation consists inswinging the receptacle I0 from its inverted position to an upright oneas indicated at A on Figs. 1 and 2 whereupon the rod 20 is taken out sothat the perforated cover plate I8 can be removed. The top is thenlowered into the receptacle, the cover I8 replaced, the pin returned toits fastening position, and the receptacle then swung downward to itsinverted position as shown at B Fig. 2. When in its upright position theVport 25 is out of register with the outlet 28 and consequently thecompressed heated air is cut off from the receptacle. As soon, however,as the receptacle is brought to its lowered position the aforesaid portand outlet come into register and heated air immediately enters from themanifold II and elbow 26. Since the heated air is under pressure theaction is to force the excess dye liquor out of the top and through theperforated cover I8 where it falls upon the floor. where it is soondried by the air escaping from the receptacle. The continued exposure ofthe wound sliver or top to the heated air causes all of the remainingmoisture toy be quickly evaporated and the top is thoroughly dried.Since both the dyeing and drying operations have taken place without anywinding or rewinding of the sliver, the top remains in perfect conditionand no damaged or displaced fibers are present.

The removal of the dried top from the receptacle is Vreadilyaccomplished since the pressure of the incoming air can be used toassist the operator in withdrawing the top, thisrbeing done by raisingthe receptacle about two-thirds of the way to its upright position, atwhich place the ports are still slightly in register and enough air canenter the receptacle to serve as an auxiliary ejecting means. n

In Figs. 1 and 2,V the receptacles shown at A are in upright position,while the opposite two are in inverted postion ready for drying.Receptacle C is in an upright position but with the perforated coverremoved. Receptacle D is in an upright position with the top in placeready for the cover to be replaced.

In some instances the material in its bulk or mass formation can beplaced in a bag as shown at I4 and wherein it is subjected to the dyeingand drying steps heretofore described. This bag, however, is notessential for the efiicient carrying out of the invention as the top orother arti- Cle can be handled, dyed and dried entirely satisfactorywithout such a bag.

Where in the foregoing the term wool tops is used it is to be understoodas of generic scope because the invention is of relatively Wideapplication.

While only a single form is shown in which this invention may beembodied,'it is to be understood that the invention is not limited toany specific cnstruction, but might be applied to various forms withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus claim:-

1. In a drying apparatus, a receptacle for receiving material having anopening in the bottom thereof, a conduit for supplying a drying medium,4said conduit having a discharge outlet, a pivotal support attached tothe bottom of said receptacle, means associated withv said support forbringing said opening into register with said outlet when saidreceptacle is inverted and for moving said opening out of register whensaid receptacle is upright,`and a perforated cover for said receptacle.

2. In a drying apparatus, a'receptacle for receiving material, saidreceptacle having anV opening in the bottom thereof, a conduit forsupplying a drying medium, said conduit having a discharge outlet, asleeve attached to said receptacle bottom having a port in register withsaid opening, meansvfor mounting said sleeve on said conduit for rotarymovement and with said port in the plane of said outlet, whereby inupright position of saidreceptacle'said outlet and port are out ofregister and in inverted position of said receptacle. said outlet andport are in register, and a perforated cover for said receptacle.

3. In a drying apparatus,Y a receptacle for receiving material, saidreceptacle having an opening in the bottom thereof, a conduit forsupplying a drying medium, said conduit having a tapered end providedwith a discharge outlet, a sleeve attached to said receptacle bottom andarranged to receive said tapered end as a pivoted support, said sleevehaving a port in register with said opening, Vmeans to hold and adjustsaid sleeve on said end, the arrangement being such that in uprightposition of said receptacle Said port and outlet are out of register andin inverted Vposition of said receptacle said port and outlet are inregister, and a perforated cover for said receptacle.

4. In a drying apparatus the combination of a conduit for supplying adrying medium, a receptacle for receiving material, a top for saidreceptacle having a drain outlet, meansV for removably securing said topin place, a bottom for said receptacle having an opening, means forpivotally mounting said bottom on said conduit, and a closure controlledby said mounting means for opening and closing communication betweendescribed my invention, I

said opening and said conduit.

GEORGE E. PETERSEN.

